Shropshire Star comment: Council’s decision is a disgrace

But to seek to kick out that councillor under an inflexible "rules is rules" approach and then to have got things wrong in the first place will be seen by many others as an act of incompetence.

Jane Mackenzie, a former Mayor of Shrewsbury, has had to bear personal tragedy with the death in May of her daughter at the age of 37 through alcohol addiction.

For a parent to have to nurse a child through her last weeks and months will have been shattering and heartbreaking.

See also:

• Apology issued over Shropshire councillor's wrongful sacking

• Alcohol is our hidden menace, says grieving former Shrewsbury mayor Jane Mackenzie

• Shropshire councillor reinstated after missing meetings to nurse terminally ill daughter

She has shown a huge amount of courage in facing up to the most difficult of situations and, despite her loss, she is now speaking out to highlight an issue that blights thousands of lives.

Then she discovered that Shropshire Council had posted notice that there was going to be a by-election in her ward because, it was claimed, she had missed six months' worth of meetings.

Challenged

However, she was able to recall attending a particular meeting and challenged the council. As a result the council has reinstated her.

Before setting the wheels in motion to expel Councillor Mackenzie, part of the process of any council worth its salt would be to ensure that it had got its facts straight. It surely cannot be too difficult in this day and age for a council to have a run through its attendance records before accusing a councillor of failing to attend meetings.

Or could not somebody have bothered to contact Councillor Mackenzie to ask if there was a particular problem before taking such drastic action?

In fairness to the council, the wheels of democracy have to turn, and to do that people do need their representatives to be available to represent them, which is the reason for the six month rule. But even given that the rule was misapplied in this instance, there should be space too for compassion, sensitivity and common sense.

Alcoholism is one of society's epidemics, often hidden from view, that kills thousands and destroys the lives of those around them.

Jane is seeking to use her experience to help others and is launching a charity to provide support, both for people with addictions, and their families.

But in her hour of need, she needs support too – something the council should bear in mind before launching peremptory action.